Thread by @thedankoe

The story of how I failed at 7 businesses before making my first $100,000 online

And the lessons I learned the hard way (so you don't have to):

My self-development journey started when I was 13.

I was the type that observed others, questioned everything, and did everything in my power to avoid an average life.

Online business was the logical next step.

Let's start with my 7 "failures:"

1) Fitness influencer

At 14 I turned to YouTube for my self-education.

Got sucked into the fitness community.

Got obsessed, trained for 5 years, and started my own YT channel.

I posted lifting vlogs, eating challenges, and monologues.

Didn't take off and I got bored of it.

2 & 3) Ecom + Dropshipping

Rave clothes, blue light glasses, and minimalist wallets. I bought courses, ran ads, professional photos...

Borrowed $3k from my dad. Lost it.

Went $8k into debt with my first credit card.

Sold one bra.

And yes, that was my hedgehog Momo

4) Digital Art Page

I got obsessed with photography and editing.

I started a digital art page on Instagram.

That's where I started learning photoshop and how organic content takes off.

5,6) SEO, FB Ads

At this point, I chasing shiny objects like a mad man.

I tried to learn everything that remotely offered a good money opportunity.

Both failed.

And that's when I had an HTML + CSS class in college...

Although I don't use it today, that's what got me interested in web design.

I started learning online and got pretty good at it. Got some $300 clients. But I was still unemployed.

Dad mentioned I should get a coding job so I could pay him back for what he loaned me, so I did

That's when luck started to happen. I actually got a job at a web design agency.

I got paid to learn what I was most interested in.

I was doing my own work + the agency's work + reaching out to clients.

That's when it started to click.

I studied the agency's processes and paired it with all of the skills I had picked up along the way

I took the web design biz to 6 figures within a year, started a Twitter account soon after, and now I'm here.

Here are the 4 lessons I promised:

1. Self-education is crucial

If I had relied on the conventional education path, I would not be here. I wouldn't have gotten the web design job either.

Invest your time in free resources. Invest your money in modern education (courses and coaching).

2. Frame failures as skill acquisition.

Every failure teaches you something. It's cliche but true.

Behind every failed venture is a skill you don't know you acquired.

Keep trying and one day your skill stack will be far above most people's.

3. Use your unfair advantage.

I was never the ecom-type guy. Or SEO. Or FB Ads. But web design seemed cool. It just clicked.

What you "click" with is an unfair advantage because it's play to you but a chore to others.

You WANT to "work."

4. A 9-5 isn't a bad thing.

No chance I'd be here without getting a job.

Even though one of my big goals was to never have to work one.

You don't have to stay there forever. Pick the right one and you're literally being paid to learn.

Quit later if you want.

Over the past 2 years, I've slowly pivoted into consulting and online education with my brand Modern Mastery.

I'm even part owner of a software company.

But it all started with one skill. One business model. One year of focus.

All it takes to turn everything around.

Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed.

You can follow me @thedankoe if you want to learn more about the creator economy, lifestyle design and self-mastery.

Have an incredible Tuesday.

P.S.

That software company (tweethunter.io) is a fundamental piece of my business model.

- 10% follower increase *guaranteed*

- A quick-start to Twitter income ($1/follower/month)

- 1 million tweets for inspiration

Click here. You either make money or don't pay: